St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-06-25
A Woman Who Governs Lunatics as
Though They We're Her Own
Petted Children.
Men and Women Without Reason, Sinq
Gospel Hymns as Though They
Were Rational.
Beautiful Grounds, Blooming Flowers,
a Playing Fountain and Other At
tractive Features.
danoe of tho CIoha

DTtilcneS OF Cne chicago, milwaukee, q
st. Paul railroad, this year presents to
the eye one of the richest pictures ever
painted with the colOrS from the palette
of nature. The prospect for great crops
was never better. All kinds of grain
are III Splendid shape and plentiful
showers have filled the prairie with
moisture until the farmers apprehend
no danger of failure from drOuth.
4anktOn is the prettiest city in the ter
ritory. 1t nestles among the bluffs on
the east bank Of the Missouri river in
the midst of rich grove of cottonwoot;s
and elms. 1t is the oldest city in the
territory and for years wore capital hon
Ors, of which it was shorn four
years ago by the capital commission.
Here the political battles that have
made the territory famous were fought
III little, crazy, rickety frame build
|; ing called the capitol. A few weeks
|. ago the land on which this building
stood was sold to company of Eastern
capitalists, who propose to erect a fine
brick block upon it for business pur-
the early political history of the terri
tory, was leveled 10 the ground.
just now YanktOn is enjoying the
. premonitory symptoms of boom and
during the past two months there have
been several important real estate deals
there that have stirred up the sluggish
blood of some of the old fossils who
have cOntented themselves too long
with sitting around on dry goods boxes
and living on the interest of the money
made i'll the early days. Railroads are
now pointing towards Yankton and
there are prospects that the Missouri
f,n l,,.i1 81 -
If this is done YanktOn will undoubt-
eddy become a railroad center, as it lies
in the midst of one of the richest agri-
cultural countries to be found in Amer
lea.
60 to YaIlktOn and the first object the
citizen points out to you as one of the
features of the town is
TIE INSANE ASYLUM,
"a magnificent structure standing on the
high land three miles, from the business
spOrtiOn of the town, and overlooking
the Missouri valley for many miles.
Dr.. CraVenS, the uperintendent, as
sisted by his eStimable wife, has taken
commeldable pride in identifying the
asylum grounds and forty acres have
been devoted to landscape gardening.
There are broad drives winding inland
out among the hills, tlanked on either
side with thrifty shade trees. Then
there is a miniature lake and rustic
bridge. Just in front of the broad stairs
that rise to the main entrance to the
asylum is a fountain that sends its spray
high. in the air to fall with musical
patter into a great round basin, where
tiny ducks fashioned from light mate
rial, move over the surface of the pool at
the will of the breeze. Around the
fountain are wide beds filled with fra
grant flowers now in full bloom. 1t is a
lovely spot.
and Mrs. Craven, and a greater portion
of the time spent in conversing with
the unfortunate beings who are crowded
within the walls of the institution. DR..
Craven told me that the capacity of the
asylum was 1876 and there were now 1863
inmates. This is extremely incOnyen-
lent, but the legislature last winter. ap-
propriated fund for the enlargement
of the asylum and work will be begun
on the addition as soon as the plans are
approved by the governor. Supt. Craven
and his wife treat the inmates as though
they were all members of great fam
lily, ard the demented creatures, with
all their whimS and caprieeS, recognize
them as their benefactors. Just after
dinner we repaired to the female ward,
and in pleasant alcove filled with
hanging baskets of flowers cages of
singing birds and great flood of
sunshine, Mrs. Craven sat down to
parlOr organ, and while she PLAYED
the women gathered around her, and
their voices in perfect harmony with the
tones of the organ, went out in song.
They sang several hymns, and they
were more familiar with the words and
music than those rational spectators
who wondered as they listened. The
lunaticS are paSSiOnately fond of music,
and there is one inmate of this ASYLUM
suffering from melancholia who will sit
at the organ for hours and play few
plaintive chords. In this institution the
inmates did not seem to be
TREATED AS PRISONERS,
for at sunset the men and women, in
charge of the tenants, were allowed to
wander through the grounds among the
trees and listen to the music of the foun-
tain. 1t was sad yet pleasing sight to
see these poor creatures, so helpless and
SO irresponsible, seated in groups upon
the ground or wandering in knots among
the trees, chattering and laughing as
though they lived in world of their
own. DR.. Craven informed me that he
had been severely criticized for allow
ing the inmates SO much free
dom, but during his admin
iStratiOn he has had but
two escapes, while the North Dakota
asylum in the same length of time re-
ports thirteen escaped. His plan is to
make his patients feel perfectly at home,
and this they seem to do. The outdoor
exercise given the patients is of great
benefit to them and assists them greatly
on their road to recovery. Every even
ing they are given this outdoor exercise
and they enter into game of base ball
with as much gusto as do their attend
ants. The insane asylum of Yankton
is splendid institution and is appar-
emily conducted by those who have a
sympathy for the dependents under
their care. There haze rllmQrS gone
out that the asylum fund has been mis-.
appropriated. This is denied by the
directors, who say they have done moth
ing more than to take money from one
fund to increase another that was ex.
hausted. Gov. Church has Instituted
an Investigation, but told me that he
should make. no attempt at a change in
the management unless the inveSti-
CATION proved there was crooked
ness. The members of the board of
directors, a majority of whom are DEM
Ocrats, say they will take the matter to
the courts if the governor attempts to
remove them and have it thoroughly
ventilated and the investigation com
plete. They have already employed
Hon. E. G. Smith, member Of the terri
torial council last winter, and one of the
ableSt attorneys in the TERRITORY. as their